Airbus has rolled out its second complete carbon-fibre test barrel as part of its development programme for the A350 XWB fuselage design.
This 18m (59ft)-long fuselage demonstrator, which Airbus dubs 'Barrel 1B' and describes as "second generation", was assembled in Hamburg and is close to the final design of the A350 fuselage, as it will be used for certification of design principles and sizing methods.
Barrel 1B's diameter is greater than 6m and it is built in three sections. It has been used to develop and validate the complete production process from the manufacture of individual panels, frames and clips, to shell assembly and section assembly and the production of circumferential joints.
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"The tests performed on this barrel will mainly focus on the fatigue and damage tolerance of composite structures, the barrel being part of the certification of the aircraft," says Airbus.
"The extensive use of carbon-fibre is a significant advance: the panels, frames, window frames, clips, and door are all made from it, with a hybrid door frame structure consisting of carbon-fibre and titanium being used for the first time," Airbus adds. The barrel also contains some metallic components in the floor and in the highly loaded "test load introduction area".
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© Airbus |
Source: Flight International
